Are You A Slave To The Grind?

Managing, delegating and negotiating are all forms of communication. The art of communicating is thus an indispensable skill for a young professional to possess. But it is more complex than it first appears to be, as communication can be direct or indirect (instant messaging vs. e-mail); personal or impersonal (in-person presentation vs. PowerPoint); internal or external (media vs. employees).

Unfortunately, communication is one of the areas in which a young professional does not fully control all the variables. Of course, when it comes to personal, direct communication, one is most in control of his destiny. But the reality is that in our high-tech world, direct, personal communication is only a fraction of all forms of communication and is often replaced by indirect and impersonal forms of communication. Today, e-mail has supplanted letters and faxes as some of the most used forms of indirect, impersonal communication. While telephone and instant messaging do not represent face-to-face forms of communication, they are direct, although impersonal.

Consequently, some of the most effective leaders are rendered obsolete because they do not know how to communicate indirectly as well as they do directly. Similarly, some leaders are great at personal communication but their sloppiness makes them stand out like a sore thumb in impersonal settings. Conversely, some leaders are great at presenting their ideas in memos, but lack the charisma required in personal contexts.

What exacerbates the situation is that our reliance on technology means that even when we master indirect communication, if the lines of communication are shut down, then we are left in the dark, and to some extent, obsolete in the business world.

When this takes place, it is only normal for young professionals and human beings in general to feel a lack of control, and as a result, a sense of vulnerability in their job function.

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Athletes have long known not to worry about what they cannot control. A quarterback might lose sleep knowing that the opposing linebacker will be hunting for his head, but all he can do is release the ball fast enough, independently of whether or not the offensive line gives him enough time to do so. Young professionals, on the other hand, seem to let externalities affect them. This is due to the fact that young professionals have less leverage than athletes: athletes are the stars, young professionals seldom are. It is human nature to worry about externalities, but the sooner you accept that what you cannot control is irrelevant, or at least, should be, the better. And this cannot be more true when it comes to communicating.

This is equivalent to being stuck in traffic; should you be blamed for being late to work? Well, perhaps to some extent, but the only remedy in this predicament is to turn on the music and enjoy the ride, even if the scenery does not change much.